Article And Method For Stretching The Upper Face

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an article for stretching the skin of the upper face, including one or more straps of adjustable length, each strap having a first and a second end; a first barrette secured to the first end of the strap; and a second barrette or the like secured to the second end of the strap. The barrettes are secured to an area of hair above the ear of the user in which the hair has been twisted or braided and then pulled to assure that the application of tension to the barrette will induce a stretching of the upper face in the region of the eyes and temples.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of the Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/643,790, filed May 7, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to articles and methods for use of barrettes to stretch the upper face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over time, various concepts have been employed, typically, to stretch the entire upper hairline of an individual in order to effect some degree of stretching of the skin of the upper face and at the edges of the eyes where wrinkling typically occurs as a natural consequence of age.

Prior art approaches, to the knowledge of the inventor, involve the strapping or wrapping of the entirety of the hair of a user and, thereby, is highly visible, limiting the hairstyles with which such approach can be used, and are of questionable effect after the band or wrapping of the entirety of the hair of the user begins to loosen.

The present invention thereby attempts to improve upon such historic concepts which, in any event, do not purport to effectuate any reduction in stretching of skin in the area of the temple of the face or at the outer edges of the eyes. Clearly, if such a cosmetic effect could be obtained without the use of a visible strap, the same would be of considerable value to persons encountering wrinkles about the eyes and temple areas of the face. It is, accordingly, to this end that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an article for stretching the skin of the upper face, comprising one or more straps of adjustable length, each strap having a first and a second end; and a first barrette secured to said first end of said strap; and a second barrette or the like secured to said second end of said strap. The barrettes are secured to an area of hair above the ear of the user that has been twisted or braided and then pulled to assure that the application of tension to the barrette will induce a stretching of the upper face in the region of the eyes and temples.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an article or method for facilitating the stretching of the skin of the upper face and, more particularly, skin associated with temples of the face and crows feet which, with age, typically form at the outer edges of the eyes.

It is another object to provide a simple to produce and use article for effectuating the stretching of the scalp and thereby the skin of the upper face in the respects above described.

It is a further object to provide a cost-effective article and method by which the above objects may be accomplished.

It is a further object to provide a new use of a hair barrette.

The above and yet further objects of the invention of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and Claims appended herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present inventive article for stretching of skin of the upper face.

FIG. 2 is a breakaway view of the right hand side view of FIG. 1 showing that threads or the like may be provided with the present article to effect sewing of each barrette into their desired position and to provide additional securement thereof to the hair of a user.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of FIG. 2 showing details of the barrette structure.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing use of the barrettes with a positioning thread or cord.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the insertion of a barrette of the article of FIG. 1 into the hair of a user at a desired location and proximately to the ear of a user.

FIG. 6 is a rear view showing the article of FIG. 1 after installation within both sides of the hair of a user.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the positioning of the inventive article prior to tensioning of the bands thereof.

FIG. 8 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 7, however showing the inventive article after tensioning of the straps and the effects achieved thereby.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the elevational view of FIG. 1, the present inventive article 10, which relates to stretching of the skin of the upper face, may be seen to include a first and a second band 12 and 14 respectively which, at respective ends thereof, are permanently secured to barrettes 16 and 18, or the like. One method of securement of the bands to the barrettes is through the use of rivets 20. Alternatively or additionally, the bands are secured to the barrettes through the use of cords 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 4) which may additionally be used to secure the barrettes at a desired position within the hair.

Shown at the center of each band are adjustment elements 22 and 24 which are similar in operation to bra strap adjusters. It is however to be appreciated that other forms of strap length adjusters are within the scope of the present invention. By the pulling of ends 26 and 28 respectively of bands 12 and 14, one may increase the tension which exists between barrettes 16 and 18 when they are properly positioned.

In the right side fragmentary view of FIGS. 2 and 4 are shown threads or cords 30 which may be used as means for providing additional securement to the hair of the user (as described below) to the barrettes 16/18.

In FIG. 5 is shown barrette 16 as it is secured above ear 32 of a user of the inventive article. More particularly, to properly secure barrette 16 to hair 34, the user pinches a small section of the hair at or near the hairline 36 and just above ear 32. One then tugs one's hair slightly backwardly to confirm that the twisted or braided section of hair will induce a slight lift of the eyes and the temples when it is pulled backwardly away from the face. Once this is confirmed, one twists or braids the hair approximately five times to separate it out from other hair located further above hairline 36, and a bobby pin is then placed within the twist or braid to hold it in place.

The same process is repeated with respect to that area of the hair above one's opposite ear. Again, a bobby pin is used to secure the part of the hair which has been twisted or braided and which has been confirmed to result in a slight lifting of the eyes and temples when it is pulled backwardly away from the face.

Thereafter, a separating comb is employed to make a line from beneath each secured area of twisted or braided hair above each ear and, thereupon, to secure the first and then the second barrette thereto in the manner which is shown in FIG. 5.

After this is accomplished, each strap or band 12 and 14 is tightened by the pulling of ends 26 and 28 of the respective bands through the tension adjustment elements 22 and 24 respectively, the result of which is an increase in tension throughout the bands which is transmitted to each of the respective barrettes 16 and 18 and thus to the scalp.

It is noted that the adjustment of bands 12 and 14 is simplified if the bands are somewhat loose while the barrettes are being attached to the portions of hair above the ear which have been twisted or braided and held in place by the bobby pins.

In FIG. 5, it is to be appreciated that the barrette 16 should be facing away from the face of the user. This permits each barrette to easily engage the portion of the hair to be twisted or braided and held in place by the bobby pins. In other words, each clip is placed in front of each area of hair which is to be twisted or braided. Resultantly, the barrette will engage the hair after it has already achieved a degree of localized tension relative to the scalp.

Shown in FIG. 6 is the position of bands 12 and 14 beneath the hair 34 of the user.

With reference to FIGS. 7, there is shown the appearance of a face of the user before bands 12 and 14 have been tensioned. Therein, may be seen wrinkles 38 on the temples and crows feet 40, both of which are substantially eliminated (see FIG. 8) by the effect of tension 42 when it is applied just above hairline 36 and above ears 32 (not shown) of the user. It should be noted that a cover may be provided for bands 12 and 14 to reduce the possibility, when viewed from the rear (see FIG. 6), that such bands would be visible. The use of such a cover will of course depend upon thickness of the hair of the user, such that, in many cases, such coverings of the bands will be unnecessary.

It is, alternatively, to be appreciated that bands 12 and 14 may be formed of a transparent, as opposed to an opaque, material thereby reducing the possibility that they might otherwise become visible.

In terms of dimensions, it has been found that one-half inch is a suitable width for each of the bands and that nine and one-half inches is suitable with the entire system as shown in FIG. 2. Further, a suitable length for each barrette is one and one quarter inch, while a suitable wide thereof is about one inch.

It has also been found that slippage of the bands or straps may be reduced if the undersurface, that is, the surface of abutting the scalp is provided with a high friction surface, for example, a rubberized surface.

It is also noted that arrangements of VELCRO, such as thin strips thereof, may be employed to effect the same securement function as that of the barrettes described above.

Also, a single band or strap may be employed in lieu of double bands 12 and 14.

While there has been shown and described above the preferred embodiment of the instant invention it is to be appreciated that the invention may be embodied otherwise than is herein specifically shown and described and that, within said embodiment, certain changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the underlying ideas or principles of this invention as set forth herewith. 

I claim:
 1. An article for stretching the skin of the upper face, comprising: one or more straps of adjustable length, each strap having a first and a second end; a first barrette secured to said first end of said strap; and a second barrette or the like secured to said second end of said strap, said barrettes secured to an area of hair above the ear of the user twisted or braided and then pulled to assure that the application of tension to the barrette will induce a stretching of the upper face in the region of the eyes and temples. 